Brooder.



J. LEHMANN,

BROODER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22, 1914.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

. @nvm/woz .Y0/Ivi? 922221641271 Wit/Mexm I ortica.

' Joeri H. LEHMANN, or Wavnatr, MARYLAND.

BROODER.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented llieb. 23, 31.2115,

Application filed May 22, 1914. Serial No. 840,303.

To all rwhom 'it may concern:

Be it known that' I, JOHN H. LEHMANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waverly, in the county of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented new and useful Improvements in Broeders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to broeders, and it has for its object to produce a device of this class which will be simple in construction and which may be readily adjusted and manipulated to suit the condition of the chicks as they acquire their growth.

With these and other ends in view which will readily appear as 'the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly*` pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, ,I

but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the claims may be resorted to when desired. j

In the drawing-Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved broeder with the 'lid open and with the interior fixtures removed. Fig. 2 is a perspective detail view of the interior supporting frame with the draft shield connected therewith at one end. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of oneof the curtains.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional View of thel broeder with the interior jfixtures in position and looking toward the front. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view taken on the line 5-5 -in Fig, 4, with a portion of the draft shield removed.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by like characters' of reference.

The breeder consists of a wooden box 15 which is raised.- from the ground by means of legs or supports 16, the parts of the structure being assembled by means of screws 17 in order that said parts may be readilyA -knocked down or taken apart for convenience in shipment and storage. The box 15 has a lid 18 which is connected with the rear wall thereof by means of hinges 19. The lidlias a large vent opening 2O which is covered with wire mesh .fabric 21 and in which a lid `oir-.plug 22 mav be seated when desired in cold or damp weather. A smaller vent o en ing 23 is provided in a side wall of the ox.

The front wall-of the latter has a doorway 24 for the chicks. Each side wall of the box is provided on its inner face with a horizontal cleat 25, said cleats serving to su porta frame 26, the front and rear memliers of which are provided with alining grooves 27 to support rods 28 vhaving .curtains 2 9 of flexible,'preferably textile material, said curtains being providedwith slits 30 to permit the chicks to pass readily. The lid 18 is pro? vided on its underside with transverse parallel cleats 31 located, respectively, near the front and rear edges of said lid. When the parts are assembled, that is to say, when the frame 26 is in position and the curtain rods or supports 28 have been positioned on said frame, the closing down of the lid will cause the cleats 31 to abut on the curtain supporting rods, thereby retaining said rods in position against accidental displacement by the moving about of the chicks within the brooder. At the same time, air will'be permitted to circulate freely above the curtain support, rods 28 and beneath the lid y18, thus causing all the interspaces between the curtains 29 to be freely and fully ventilated.

For the further protection of the chicks in cold and damp weather, Iprovide a draft shield consisting of a square 32 of flexible material, such as that of iwhich the curtains 29 are made. Said shieldls provided at each end with a rod 33 havingprojecting ends adapted to engage keepers 34 at the corners of the frame 26. This shield when stretched in position, as indicated in Figs. 4' and 5,

will protect the interspaces between the curtains 29 from drafts. A curtain 35 having a rod 36 may be suspended adjacent to the opening 24, as indicated in Fig. 4, keepers 3? being provided for the accommodation ofl the ends of the rod.

In the use of this broeder, as the chicks attain their growth, some of the curtains 29 may be removed, thus adapting the brooder to the growing condition of the chicks and avoiding hampering their ability to move4 freely about `within 'the broeder, which would result in checking their development.

faces thereof, a lidhingedly connected with opening, said lid being provided with cleats onlits under` face adjacent to its front and 5 rear edges, a frame supported .on the cleat-s of the side walls, said frame having alining grooves in the front and rear side members thereof, and curtain supporting rods sup ported in said grooves and contacted with 10 by the cleats on the underside of the lid when the latter is closed.

2. lin a inonder, box having a front doorway, a lid hingedly connected with the box and having a ventJ opening, a plurality' of 15 curtain supporting rods mounted detachahly within an ced below the lid, and means associated Mh the lid for maintainthe rear Wall of the box and having a vent JOHN H. LEHMANN.

Witnesses lil/'ALTER R. HEATH, `W1LL1AM TW. HILL. 

